It's DONE!

Today I officially finished work for my maternity leave. Unlike last pregnancy, I am not feeling so great even though the due date is still 3 weeks away. So I feel like I am wimping out a little, last time I worked until less than a week before my due date, but really, it has been SOOO much harder on me this time around. So upon being done work for the next year I feel...stressed? Hmmmm, how can that be. Well, there is always that lingering feeling of leaving things left undone, which is always the case when being absent from work for awhile. But being a year I guess it really rings home how non-essential you are. I mean if they can get by without you for a year then you realize that you are replacable. So there's that. And there is the feeling that the things you are leaving behind won't get dealt with the way you would deal with them. And then when you turn to walk out of the office there is is this vast open space you are walking into. A year without work...I feel like I am standing on a road leading into a vast open space with nothing in site but fields and road and sky. What lies ahead down that road? It's a long way to go but I have to start walking. At the same time there is that nagging dread that my year will be whisked away and before I blink I will be heading back to work wondering where the time went. So I'm going with the same approach I did with my first maternity leave...to be grateful every day I am home with my children, grateful that I have the opportunity to be with them for these precious few moments of childhood that will be gone too soon. I really did think that every day last mat-leave and I didn't feel like the year slipped by me without noticing. I know with two rugrats it will probably be a lot harder to keep that perspective but I must remind myself daily, I am home to take care of my children. I am not home to do hobbies, or shopping, or cleaning, my job now is to care for my children. Hopefully I will succeed! There is of course all the scarey thoughts of sleepless nights and screaming tantrums and breastfeeing marathons and vomit to clean up and arguements with a two year old and dogs to beat but I try not to focus on those thoughts. I LOVE being at home (usually) so I am, all in all, excited and looking forward to it.

Here is my list of things to do before the baby arrives in 3 weeks:
1. Get carpets cleaned (scheduled for Friday)
2. Clean house entirely (dusting, tidying, etc, etc)
3. Re-finish dresser for baby room (either using Mactac covering or some sort of paint if you can paint melamine - if anyone has any tips on this please provide)
4. Get haircut, eyebrows waxed - there will be no time for personal grooming in my near future.
5. Make a baby blanket for my baby, a friends baby, and a few extras to have on hand in the event of any unexpected babies arriving in the next few months.
6. Sort baby clothes and other baby items needed from storage in my basement and friends.
7. Cook some meals to have in freezer for when my mom leaves us on our own
8. Find a new futon cover (futon in baby room for me to lay/sit on for feeding)
9. Brush and clip dogs - there will be no time for dog grooming in my near future
10. Clean up garden/outdoor plants
11. Spend as much quality time with Mayson as I can - this is actually number 1 on my list.

So, in three weeks, being that I will probably be needing two naps a day and going to bed at 8pm, I think I may have to prepare myself for letting go of some of these things. On the upside this is done...

Just had to post as if you understand my lack of any artistic ability you will realize this is quite the venture and accomplishment for me, not to mention completing all the painting myself whilst the size of a small car.